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If you’re making a pan of cheesy, saucy baked shells for dinner, you might be wondering what to serve with baked shells to round out the meal. While this classic pasta dish is rich, comforting, and packed with flavor, the right sides can take it from good to so much better.
Whether you’re planning a cozy weeknight dinner or feeding a crowd, pairing baked shells with fresh, crunchy, or lighter sides helps balance out all that cheesy goodness. In this post, I’ll be sharing some delicious side dish recipes. Think crisp salads, roasted veggies, warm breads, and simple sides that don’t compete with the main dish, but complement it perfectly!
I have two stuffed shells recipes on the blog, and you can’t go wrong with either one! My Baked Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce is an easy, family-friendly dinner classic. It is perfect for busy weeknights, family dinners, or a comforting Sunday supper.
My Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Shells is a blog favorite! This dish is creamy, decadent, spicy, and relatively hands-off once the dish is in the oven.
This Caesar Salad Dressing Without Anchovies recipe allows you to enjoy Caesar salads as a vegetarian. Made with pantry staples like mayo, garlic, lemon juice, and Worcestershire, this recipe always creates a flavorful dressing. I’ve also included instructions for making homemade croutons and salad.
My spectacularly seasonal Apple Walnut Salad tastes as bright and crisp as a sunny fall day. Candied nuts, crunchy pepitas, juicy apples, sweet-tart dried cranberries, sharp red onions, and salty feta are piled on a bed of mixed greens and drizzled with a zippy apple cider vinaigrette for a salad even my first grader enjoys!
This easy arugula salad with pears and candied pecans is a show-stopping salad that’s perfect for entertaining. The delicious combination of peppery greens, sweet fruit, creamy cheese, crunchy nuts and a zesty homemade vinaigrette that ties it all together. It’s a salad that feels special enough for the holidays but simple enough for a weeknight dinner.
This Side Salad is loaded with crisp veggies, crispy bacon, and tossed with a creamy, flavorful homemade ranch dressing. It’s fresh and easy and the perfect side salad for any meal.
Need a quick, fresh, and reliable snack? This Italian Cowboy Caviar comes together in minutes with no cooking needed! It’s perfect for last-minute hosting, meal prep, or when you want something to snack on without the stress.
These homemade Garlic Bread Rolls are soft, buttery, and infused with rosemary and garlic. Perfectly golden on the outside and tender on the inside, they are filled and finished with savory garlic parsley butter. Ideal for any dinner table, these rolls are sure to impress your family and guests.
A Stuffed Garlic Bread recipe that is so easy, cheesy, and beautiful, you’ll want to have it as the centerpiece for every pasta night, holiday potluck, and dinner party!
These are hands-down the best, crispiest brussels sprouts ever. They’re delicious straight off the pan, but a perfect veggie side dish for any main course.
These Garlic Parmesan Green Beans are the perfect side dish for a weeknight meal or a special holiday dinner. Ready in minutes, these green beans are boiled to crisp-tender, sautéed with a delicious garlic butter seasoning, and finished with a sprinkle of Parmesan. Can’t get your kids to eat green beans? Try this garlicky-buttery-salty-cheesy recipe for green beans for a new family favorite!
These Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Bundles are a tasty, easy and elegant side dish to any meal. With just a few pantry staples and minimal prep time, you’ll have a delicious dish ready in under 30 minutes!
Roasted Carrots With Whipped Feta is a simple yet elegant side dish that combines sweet roasted carrots and lemony whipped feta and comes together in 20 minutes!
Whether you go with something fresh and light or warm and comforting, the right side makes all the difference. Save this list for the next time you’re planning dinner and need easy, delicious ideas for what to serve with baked shells.
